More than 400 years after William Shakespeare first penned Romeo & Juliet, the timeless story of love and loss continues to resonate. This June, the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) will present a daring new interpretation of the classic tragedy, directed by Tom Healey and performed by WAAPA’s 3rd Year Acting students at the Heath Ledger Theatre.
Set against a divided and conservative world, this reimagining of Romeo & Juliet explores the values passed from one generation to the next. Juliet and Romeo are taught to hate each other out of loyalty to an ancient grudge — a feud so old its origins have been forgotten. Yet their hearts and souls are drawn together, defying the world that seeks to keep them apart.
Director Tom Healey promises a bold departure from tradition. “This production of Romeo & Juliet contains no tights, sword fights or codpieces,” he said. “It is for a 21st-century audience – sophisticated in taste, contemporary in approach, and fearless in intensity.” Healey describes the play as a reflection of a world where love struggles to survive amid division and control.
“Romeo & Juliet is a tragedy because, in a world dominated by reactionary conservatives, where bullies run the streets and love is contingent on family loyalty, no spontaneous, free and intuitive love can survive,” he said.
Beginning as a romantic comedy and ending as one of theatre’s most powerful tragedies, Romeo & Juliet remains a defining story of passion, fate and defiance.
This new production invites audiences to consider a timeless question: how can a world be built where love is stronger than hate?
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Directed by Tom Healey
Performed by WAAPA 3rd Year Acting Students
Venue: Heath Ledger Theatre
Dates: Friday June 12, Saturday June 13, Monday June 15, Tuesday June 16 & Wednesday June 17 @ 7:30pm
Matinee: Wednesday June 17 @ 11:00am
Tickets: $55 Full | $50 Concession | $48 Friends
Bookings: https://bit.ly/41V2uFr | Ph: (08) 6212 9292
